Abbreviation of
丝绸之路 (Silk Road), a term coined in 1877 by German geographer Ferdinand von Richthofen — 'Seidenstraße'. The route was opened by
张骞 during the Han dynasty (2nd century BC). The modern revival is Xi Jinping's 2013
一带一路 (Belt and Road) initiative:
一带 = the overland Silk Road Economic Belt,
一路 = the 21st-century Maritime Silk Road.
